Tag: Dan Hardy

Dan Hardy Declares Jon Jones ‘Certainly Not’ the Best Heavyweight: Ngannou vs. Aspinall Tops the Debate

Dan Hardy Declares Jon Jones 'Certainly Not' the Best Heavyweight: Ngannou vs. Aspinall Tops the DebateJon Jones may be the undisputed GOAT, but he’s certainly not the best heavyweight in the world. Looking at…

Dan Hardy Declares Jon Jones 'Certainly Not' the Best Heavyweight: Ngannou vs. Aspinall Tops the Debate

Jon Jones may be the undisputed GOAT, but he’s certainly not the best heavyweight in the world.

Looking at today’s heavyweight landscape, three names undeniable stand out above the rest — Tom Aspinall, Francis Ngannou, and Jones. Which one actually tops the list will vary depending on who you’re talking to at any given time, but former UFC fighter Dan Hardy thinks that no matter what, ‘Bones’ is likely at the bottom.

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Of course, the current Head of PFL Europe means no disrespect toward the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. He just can’t see Jones matching the speed of Aspinall or the power of ‘The Predator.’

“I think Jon Jones is the pound-for-pound best,” Hardy explained when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I think he’s the best representation of mixed martial arts generally that we’ve ever seen. I think he’s still evolving, which is terrifying. But is he the best current heavyweight on the planet? I don’t think so.

“I think the winner of Aspinall versus Ngannou would be the answer … no disrespect in any way to Jon. Current heavyweight champion but not the current best heavyweight on the planet. Certainly not.”

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Hardy commends jon jones experience and unmatched fight IQ

Hardy however does recognize that when it comes to experience and fight IQ, there is nobody better than Jon Jones. Unfortunately, those two things don’t always win the day when matched against a heavyweight that moves like a lightweight or an African powerhouse who hits like a runaway freight train.

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“The creativity of Jon Jones and the wisdom, the fight IQ, that reigns supreme,” Hardy said. “I just wonder if he’s got that ability in the heavyweight division with someone as fast as Tom Aspinall and someone as powerful as Francis Ngannou. There were times when Stipe [Miocic] landed [on Jones at UFC 309] and I think if Ngannou lands those shots, Jon Jones doesn’t get back up.

“I also think the speed of Tom Aspinall would allow him to land punches against Jon Jones and Ngannou that both of those guys wouldn’t see coming and wouldn’t be able to stop. The question is would he be able to do that kind of damage to knock them out. I don’t know. I’ve seen Francis take some big shots. I know obviously he got knocked out by Anthony Joshua but at the same time, you’re talking of an elite level boxer who’s an incredible athlete at the same time. I mean, it’s just so difficult to pick one.”

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While seeing Ngannou take on either Jones or Aspinall feels pretty unlikely at this point, a title unification clash between Jones and Aspinall seems almost guaranteed after more than a year of uncertainty on Jones’ part.

Following his impressive showing against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, ‘Bones’ left the door open for a return and sounded willing to sign on the dotted line for whatever fight Dana White and Co. wants to book next — so long as the promotion comes correct with their offer.

Dan Hardy Declares Jon Jones ‘Certainly Not’ the Best Heavyweight: Ngannou vs. Aspinall Tops the Debate

Dan Hardy Declares Jon Jones 'Certainly Not' the Best Heavyweight: Ngannou vs. Aspinall Tops the DebateJon Jones may be the undisputed GOAT, but he’s certainly not the best heavyweight in the world. Looking at…

Dan Hardy Declares Jon Jones 'Certainly Not' the Best Heavyweight: Ngannou vs. Aspinall Tops the Debate

Jon Jones may be the undisputed GOAT, but he’s certainly not the best heavyweight in the world.

Looking at today’s heavyweight landscape, three names undeniable stand out above the rest — Tom Aspinall, Francis Ngannou, and Jones. Which one actually tops the list will vary depending on who you’re talking to at any given time, but former UFC fighter Dan Hardy thinks that no matter what, ‘Bones’ is likely at the bottom.

jon jones rdtuxcu21rej1g5oihth6accy

Of course, the current Head of PFL Europe means no disrespect toward the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. He just can’t see Jones matching the speed of Aspinall or the power of ‘The Predator.’

“I think Jon Jones is the pound-for-pound best,” Hardy explained when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I think he’s the best representation of mixed martial arts generally that we’ve ever seen. I think he’s still evolving, which is terrifying. But is he the best current heavyweight on the planet? I don’t think so.

“I think the winner of Aspinall versus Ngannou would be the answer … no disrespect in any way to Jon. Current heavyweight champion but not the current best heavyweight on the planet. Certainly not.”

jones

Hardy commends jon jones experience and unmatched fight IQ

Hardy however does recognize that when it comes to experience and fight IQ, there is nobody better than Jon Jones. Unfortunately, those two things don’t always win the day when matched against a heavyweight that moves like a lightweight or an African powerhouse who hits like a runaway freight train.

960x0 2

“The creativity of Jon Jones and the wisdom, the fight IQ, that reigns supreme,” Hardy said. “I just wonder if he’s got that ability in the heavyweight division with someone as fast as Tom Aspinall and someone as powerful as Francis Ngannou. There were times when Stipe [Miocic] landed [on Jones at UFC 309] and I think if Ngannou lands those shots, Jon Jones doesn’t get back up.

“I also think the speed of Tom Aspinall would allow him to land punches against Jon Jones and Ngannou that both of those guys wouldn’t see coming and wouldn’t be able to stop. The question is would he be able to do that kind of damage to knock them out. I don’t know. I’ve seen Francis take some big shots. I know obviously he got knocked out by Anthony Joshua but at the same time, you’re talking of an elite level boxer who’s an incredible athlete at the same time. I mean, it’s just so difficult to pick one.”

mma ufc fight night 1032239847 scaled 1

While seeing Ngannou take on either Jones or Aspinall feels pretty unlikely at this point, a title unification clash between Jones and Aspinall seems almost guaranteed after more than a year of uncertainty on Jones’ part.

Following his impressive showing against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, ‘Bones’ left the door open for a return and sounded willing to sign on the dotted line for whatever fight Dana White and Co. wants to book next — so long as the promotion comes correct with their offer.

Dan Hardy: Jon Jones ‘Certainly Not’ World’s Best Heavyweight

Jon Jones isn’t just the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, he’s largely considered to be the greatest of all time. However, as Dan Hardy spoke about in a recent interview with MMA Fighting, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s the best in his weight class right now. Many believe that with the sheer amount of heavyweights […]

Jon Jones isn’t just the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, he’s largely considered to be the greatest of all time. However, as Dan Hardy spoke about in a recent interview with MMA Fighting, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s the best in his weight class right now.

Many believe that with the sheer amount of heavyweights he has beaten compared to Jones, interim champion Tom Aspinall might be the best in the weight class even if he doesn’t have the longevity of somebody like “Bones” just yet. Francis Ngannou left the UFC without ever losing his heavyweight title and in his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira, he showed that he also has to be in the conversation.

Hardy believes that if there was a fight to decide the best heavyweight on the planet, Jones wouldn’t even factor into the equation.

“I think Jon Jones is the pound-for-pound best. I think he’s the best representation of mixed martial arts generally that we’ve ever seen. I think he’s still evolving, which is terrifying. But is he the best current heavyweight on the planet? I don’t think so.

“I think the winner of Aspinall versus Ngannou would be the answer … no disrespect in any way to Jon. Current heavyweight champion but not the current best heavyweight on the planet. Certainly not.”

Hardy went on to describe Jones as “bottom of the rung” in regards to the incredible physicality that Aspinall and Ngannou bring to the table as legitimate heavyweight-sized competitors though he would hold advantages in other areas.

“The creativity of Jon Jones and the wisdom, the fight IQ, that reigns supreme. I just wonder if he’s got that ability in the heavyweight division with someone as fast as Tom Aspinall and someone as powerful as Francis Ngannou. There were times when Stipe [Miocic] landed [on Jones at UFC 309] and I think if Ngannou lands those shots, Jon Jones doesn’t get back up.

“I also think the speed of Tom Aspinall would allow him to land punches against Jon Jones and Ngannou that both of those guys wouldn’t see coming and wouldn’t be able to stop. The question is would he be able to do that kind of damage to knock them out. I don’t know. I’ve seen Francis take some big shots. I know obviously he got knocked out by Anthony Joshua but at the same time, you’re talking of an elite level boxer who’s an incredible athlete at the same time. I mean, it’s just so difficult to pick one.”

Dan Hardy: Dakota Ditcheva Can Prove Herself To Be The Best Flyweight In The World vs. Taila Santos

At the 2024 PFL Championships this Friday in Riyadh, Dakota Ditcheva faces her toughest test to date as the undefeated striker takes on Taila Santos. For all of the hype surrounding the British striker, there has been a lot of doubts as well with some saying that she hasn’t been tested at the top level […]

At the 2024 PFL Championships this Friday in Riyadh, Dakota Ditcheva faces her toughest test to date as the undefeated striker takes on Taila Santos. For all of the hype surrounding the British striker, there has been a lot of doubts as well with some saying that she hasn’t been tested at the top level yet.

With every step-up in the quality of her opponents, the former PFL Europe champion has blasted through them also, winning all three of her fights this season via a knockout in the first round. Santos, however, is an opponent that fight fans know is a legitimate threat to her.

The former UFC fighter competed in one of the most controversial bouts in recent years when at UFC 275 she fought to a split decision against Valentina Shevchenko with many believing that she did enough to secure the victory. PFL commentator Dan Hardy believes that with a strong showing against Santos, Ditcheva can prove that she isn’t just the best flyweight in the PFL, she’s the best in the world.

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Hardy said that Santos is a tough test for Ditcheva but she’s also a measuring stick for the undefeated star to use.

“I mean I certainly think so and the fact that Santos has been the distance with Shevchenko is going to make it easier for the fans to see the difference in Dakota’s skills compared to Shevchenko.”

After comparing the point fighting style of Shevchenko to the lethal striking of Ditcheva, Hardy said if she’s able to beat Santos and look impressive whilst doing it, there can be no more doubting her.

“If Dakota’s got enough skills in her game to stuff takedowns or to get back to her feet or to defend any submissions that she finds herself in in this fight coming up, if she proves that she’s got enough grappling for people to go, ‘You know what, I think that would work against Shevchenko as well’, then I don’t really think there’s much of a question around Dakota’s striking compared to Shevchenko.”

Dan Hardy Advocates for Ending Elbow Ban in PFL: ‘It Keeps Fights Moving’

Dan Hardy Advocates for Ending Elbow Ban in PFL: ‘It Keeps Fights Moving’Top MMA mind Dan Hardy has some ideas for the PFL, most notably the elbows in the organization. The…

Dan Hardy Advocates for Ending Elbow Ban in PFL: ‘It Keeps Fights Moving’

Top MMA mind Dan Hardy has some ideas for the PFL, most notably the elbows in the organization. The former UFC welterweight contender shared his thoughts after a weekend in PFL Glasgow.

Dan Hardy on PFL Elbows

Speaking to RG.org in an interview, Dan Hardy explained his stance. He said:

“There are certain times when I’m watching fights and I can feel a fight slows down in positions where elbows would keep it moving. And even talking to judges after some of the earlier events, they were like, ‘Man, it changes the ability to score on the floor a lot when they can’t elbow.’ So that, for me, is an easy one.

“It’s a super simple solution. We should reintroduce elbows at the first opportunity. The fighters would love it, the fans would love it. Elbows are in the unified rules of mixed martial arts.

“We should apply the unified rules to everything that we do – all the promotions that we have under the PFL banner. And we should realign ourselves with the real mixed martial arts fans.”

Dan Hardy
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari – Zuffa LLC

Elbows are largely allowed in the PFL except for tournament fights. The PFL holds annual tournaments where fighters will need to fight just months separately and want to avoid cut issues. But, in non-tournament bouts, elbows are allowed.

The PFL just had an electric show in Glasgow, Scotland this past weekend featuring one of the best fights of 2024 between Lewis McGrillen and Dean Garnett.

Dan Hardy was highly impressed with this fight.

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Francis Ngannou, the lineal MMA world champion, will face the knockout machine Renan Ferreira on October 19 live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the PFL. It is set to be a battle of heavyweight world champions in the main event.

Video - Francis Ngannou faces off with Renan Ferreira after emotional outburst pre-PFL debut

Dan Hardy Reignites Talk Of MMA Return: ‘I Said To The PFL…’

In 2013, UK MMA pioneer Dan Hardy retired from competition after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, which meant he wouldn’t be cleared to fight. Hardy would later find out and reveal five years down the line that a second opinion from a different doctor revealed that with him not feeling any of the effects of […]

Continue Reading Dan Hardy Reignites Talk Of MMA Return: ‘I Said To The PFL…’ at MMA News.

In 2013, UK MMA pioneer Dan Hardy retired from competition after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, which meant he wouldn’t be cleared to fight.

Hardy would later find out and reveal five years down the line that a second opinion from a different doctor revealed that with him not feeling any of the effects of the condition, he could’ve continued fighting.

Instead, the former UFC welterweight title challenger had already began his career as a commentator and analyst, which would eventually lead him to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

As a key figure in the promotion as both a color commentator and the head of fighter operations for PFL Europe, Hardy is playing a pivotal role in helping to structure the promotion.

“The Outlaw” spoke in a recent interview with Sky Sports about wanting to bring in a “masters division” for older fighters who want to continue competing. Instead of fighting the next wave of upcoming contenders, they’d be facing opponents who are ay similar stage of their careers.

In fact, Hardy himself would be open to the idea of competing in that bracket.

Dan Hardy Teases Potentially Competing In ‘Masters Division’ In The PFL

Hardy has wanted to make a combat sports return for many years now, but in every instance, the fights or plans have fallen through for various reasons.

However, competing under the PFL banner against fellow legends and veterans of the sport would appear to be the most realistic and suitable option for an MMA comeback.

When asked whether he would put himself forward for a masters division, Hardy said that he has recently tried to speak to the PFL about having him step back inside the cage.

“Hey, why not? Yeah, why not. I actually said to the PFL the other day, we were coming out of an event and I said, ‘Look, like, I’ll dust off and come back for another 12 months,’ and I gave them three or four names. I’d be like, ‘Look, this is a good little selection of names.’”

When asked if he was being serious, he doubled down on the idea of competing once again to cap off his 36-fight pro career.

“Yeah, I’ll always fight. I’ll always fight, I love fighting, I love the adrenaline rush of it. I love the ‘do or die’ feeling of a fight, it’s the singlemindedness. You’re getting in there, you’re throwing techniques and you know, you’re hoping that your game plan is going to be the one that is victorious. I’m a little bit older now, absolutely, but of course, if we’ve got a masters division and I’ve got a few good ideas in mind…”

Sky Sports’ Nik Hobbs questioned whether Hardy would be willing to reveal any of the names that he put forward to the PFL. After some hesitation, he named former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis as a potential opponent.

“Not right now, no. But, well, I will say Anthony Pettis has always been someone I’ve had a lot of respect for and his name has been thrown around a few times regarding a future opponent for me. So maybe that’s an option, but we’ll see.”

Continue Reading Dan Hardy Reignites Talk Of MMA Return: ‘I Said To The PFL…’ at MMA News.